Labor force participation among Moroccan women is extremely low, particularly when compared to that of men: 69% of men work for pay, compared to only 10% of women. Arabic-speaking women, unmarried women, and urban women all somewhat more likely to work than their respective counterparts, but even among these groups labor force participation is quite low by international standards.

Low labor force participation cannot be entirely attributed to preferences of women themselves: fully 84% of young women surveyed indicated that they intended to or already were pursuing a career. Although this question was asked only of respondents under age 25, even among this ambitious age group only 10% of women currently work.

Women’s formal labor force participation rates are associated with women’s educational attainment: women with high levels of education tend to work more than women with low levels of educational attainment. Only 5% of women without any formal education work for pay. whereas 52% of women with a post–secondary degree participate in the paid labor force (Figure 2).

Women who reside within major urban metropolitan areas are more likely to work for pay than those in the country as a Among women in Rabat-Sale-Zemmour 17% worked for pay, in Tanger-Tetouan 16% of women were in the paid labor force, and in Grand Casablanca 14% of women work.